Mastering the Valley: Completed

Chapter 39: Facing head on

      I walk out of the hospital. My face and body obliterated. I can't keep on like this. I have to learn Karate. If I knew it, I probably could've taken on those people. I could've done so much more. I walk out of the hospital, with Hawk helping supporting my body with every step I take.
   "So. Do you want me to sleep with you tonight?" Hawk asks.
  I just look to him then look away. "I don't care." I respond.
  "What's wrong?" he asks.
"Nothing, just cold." I respond.
  "It's okay. I'll keep you warm." Hawk says, turning from him supporting my body into a hug.
  I just keep on walking.
Hawk looks to me, like he knows what I'm thinking and doesn't want to talk about it but still wants to talk about it. I just look down.
  We get in the car. It's a silent drive to the LaRusso house. That is, until Sensei Lawrence breaks the silence.
  "So do any of you wanna listen to some Guns N' Roses?"
  "Johnny, no." Mr LaRusso says.
I look to Hawk, who's texting someone. I turn my head back to see who he is texting. It shows that he's talking to Samantha. He just said "Yeah, we are on the way." Then I see her response.
  "Are we going to all discuss this?" she texts.
"Idk, see you in 10." he responds.
  "So, do you want to look at your phone?" Hawk asks.
"No." I respond.
  The rest of the ride to the LaRusso house was quiet. Not the peaceful quiet, like when you get your house to yourself, but the quiet that makes your stomach turn.
   I look out the window of the van, I see the world around me. I wonder how something so beautiful could be so bad.
  We get to the LaRusso house. We pull up and there are cars everywhere. The media is outside! I also see Sam's car and Tory's car.
   Sensei looks around. "Shit."
  Mr LaRusso says, "Great. We have to do this here too? This is bullshit."
  "It's okay. I'll respond. Everyone just go in the house." I say.
  "You don't have to if you don't want to." Hawk says, putting his hand on my thigh.
  "I got this. You all go." I say.
"Are you sure?" Mr LaRusso asks.
  "It's okay. I can do it." I respond.
They get out of the car and walk into the house. Then I get out. The lights are bright and flashing in my eyes.
  "Miss Salvatore I need to ask you a few questions." Someone says with a 'Good Morning America' logo on the microphone.
  "I will answer all of your questions."
I say that, and everyone breaks their necks to get to me.
  "How did what happen tonight affect you?"
  I look to her... and I don't know the answer. How did it affect me? I have been so busy with the police station and the hospital that I haven't quite had time to process it and have the time to think about how it affected me.
  "I'm thankful for my life." I respond.
Other news outlets asked me questions... and it helped me process everything.
  Someone in a news truck pulled up. It said 'USA Today'. That's a big news outlet. It breaks through the crowd and darts for me, shoving a camera in my face.
  "We are live." says the person behind the camera.
"Hello I am Christal Hayes and I am here with Katelyn Salvatore who was recently abducted and held against her will. Katelyn, how do you feel about the events that happened tonight?"
   Katelyn? Wow she said my full name. That's odd. I don't go by Katelyn anymore.
"I'm very thankful for my life and the people in my life." I respond.
  She went on to ask me questions about my health and the events that happened then she brought up the kidnapping in Utah a few years ago.
  "So it has been brought to the surface that you were kidnapped a few years ago. Do you think that the two kidnappings were correlated?"
  "I have no idea, and it is not likely seeing how the people who kidnapped me years ago were sentenced to prison for a lifetime."
  "Yes ma'am, and one last thing. You are on live, tell America something."
  I look to the camera. "No matter how hard it gets, it will always get better. There is a light at the end of the tunnel." I say.
  "Well you heard it straight from the hills of California. I am Christal Hayes signing off." she says. The camera gets put down. She looks to me.
  "You are a very brave young lady. You will do great things in the world." she says, turning to her camera man. "Okay John let's go."
  "Yes ma'am." the camera man replies, following her like a dog all the way to the van.
  I go to walk inside and there are still cameras everywhere. As soon as I went in, some of them left, but those who didn't leave left about 30 minutes later.
  I walk into the living room and sit down, for some reason everyone is gone. I just relax and finally get some rest.
  "Kate, come on in." says Mr LaRusso.
"Come on in where?" I respond.
  "The dining room. There is much to discuss." Mr LaRusso says.
   I walk into the room and everyone is there. Sensei Lawrence, Mrs LaRusso, Hawk, Sam, Robby, Miguel, Demetri, Tory, and Anthony.
  "We need to discuss something with you." says Mrs LaRusso.
    Oh god.